To reduce fat in the human body, behavior modification has been a conventional method with minimal risk to the patient. However, behavior modification involves a high rate of recidivism and noncompliance where the patient frequently reverts back to his or her former eating and lifestyle patterns. Thus, long term success is only moderately successful. Furthermore, short term weight loss in patients is frequently followed by weight gain and thus results in a difficulty in remaining a normal and healthy weight. Additionally, pharmacological methods have been used to reduce body fat, which rely on reducing feelings of hunger or reducing absorption of nutrients. This method has also shown to have limited effectiveness, in addition to causing side effects.
Other conventional methods to reduce fat in the human body involve surgical methods such as liposuction (suction lipectomy) which are inherently risky and invasive by potentially damaging surrounding tissue, nerves, skin, as well as potentially causing pain, trauma and infection. Additionally, these surgical methods are typically only effective with localized subcutaneous adipose deposits.
Other recently-approved devices by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce fat in the human body include devices utilizing cryogenics to freeze fat cells, after which the fat cells die and are metabolized by the body. These devices involve inherent drawbacks, such as delayed results, which may not be realized for up to four months, and an inherent risk of damage to surrounding tissue in a vicinity of the fat cells.